Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Press Release National Football League action kicks off this week and signals the return of the most popular sports betting events on PlayNow.com. The NFL is king on the gambling site with its games seeing more betting in Manitoba than any other sports league. Last NFL season, the average amount wagered on an NFL game through PlayNow.com was approximately $19 per bet. The biggest NFL game of all, the Super Bowl, continued its run in 2017 as the largest sports betting event on PlayNow.com, taking in approximately $57,000 in wagers. Entering the season, Manitoba bettors are heavily favouring last year’s winners the New England Patriots with odds of 4/1. While NFL games remain the most popular betting options, Manitobans are growing more enthusiastic about wagering on local football too. The number of Manitobans betting on the Canadian Football League has increased 35% over last season. This is likely due to the performance of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who sit at 7-3 heading into this weekend’s Banjo Bowl. The Bombers currently have 25/4 odds to win the Grey Cup while the Calgary Stampeders are front-runners with 9/4 odds. Adding to the excitement this CFL season, PlayNow members who bet on any Bomber game are also entered in a contest to win 10 times their amount wagered. One Manitoban racked up $500 in winnings by betting on Blue. PlayNow.com is Manitoba’s only legal, regulated gambling website, operated by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. For more information on NFL and CFL betting and on the Win 10 Times Your Wager contest, visit PlayNow.com.

The Wawanesa Jets, who have not iced a team in the past 5-6 years, are looking at making a return to the Tiger Hills Hockey League. Dustin Brown tells bdnmb.ca the Jets have approached the league about a potential return in 17/18. If they are given the green light, he says they have verbal commitments from many players in place, including those with WHL and MJHL experience. In addition to Wawanesa, the roster is expected to filled with players from neighbouring communities like Glenboro, Baldur & Brandon. With all of the players that they have talked to, Dustin feels like they would very competitive in year one, if accepted. Home games would be played in the completely renovated Wawanesa & District Rec Centre. The league meeting, where their status will be determined, is scheduled for September 18. Last season the THHL was comprised of with 13 teams, split into two divisions.

The Boyd Stadium project at Simplot's Milenium Park has just been named as one of the four finalists in Kraft Heinz Project Play. They join three other worthwhile projects out of the nearly 1200 submissions, all looking to secure the grand prize of $250,000 to build a better place to play. Voting is unlimited and starts September 8th at noon and runs through to September 9th at noon. BDNMB.CA is encouraging all of our readers to head over the their official page on September the 8th to vote for the Boyd Stadium project. Over 2.2 millions dollars has been distributed over the past 8 years, to 68 different communities, as part of the Kraft Heinz Project Play program.

City of Brandon News Release Brandon, MB – September is here and that means the season of school gymnasium bookings in Brandon has arrived! As per the established City of Brandon - Brandon School Division’s Joint Use of Schools Agreement, the City of Brandon’s Community Services Department acts as the booking facilitator for after-hours use of Brandon School Division gymnasiums. The Brandon School Division has allocated nine facilities to be included in the free gym lottery for the 2017-18 school year: George Fitton, Betty Gibson, Riverheights, Linden Lanes, J.R. Reid, Kirkcaldy Heights, New Era, King George and Green Acres schools. Each school has a unique availability and the lottery will be conducted in order to accommodate that. Registered not-for-profit youth sport groups must submit their requests in writing by Friday, September 8th at 4 p.m. On Monday, September 11th, the available timeslots will be awarded by lottery, until all requests have been drawn or all times have been spoken for, whichever comes first. All groups under the same organizational umbrella must submit their lottery applications together, factoring in the maximum amount permitted. As is required by the Brandon School Division, all user groups must provide the mandatory insurance documentation before they may book any division facility. For community user groups that are requesting time(s) in Brandon School Division gyms other than the free gyms, rental requests will be handled beginning Tuesday, September 12th. The Brandon School Division facility rental rate remains unchanged from the previous year, that being $50.60 per hour, plus GST. To request a copy of the required Free Gym Application form or for more information on booking Brandon School Division gym facilities, contact Sandy Jasper, Brandon School Division Facilities Booking Clerk at 204-729-2150 or by emailing s.jasper@brandon.ca.

Brandon Wheat Kings Media Release Brandon, MB. – The Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings reassigned ten players Sunday night following their annual Intrasquad Game at Westman Commuications Group Place. Among the players were six 16-year old prospects and three 15-year olds, including Ridly Greig, who are ineligible to play in 2017-18. A Lethbridge product, Greig was the Wheat Kings’ first round selection in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft in Calgary. Following is the list of the players reassigned Sunday night: Defence                 Anthony Kehrer                    15 Defence                 Chad Nychuk                        16 Defence                 Timber Lewis                        16 Forward                 Kolton Shindle                     16 Forward                 Carter Cockburn                   16 Forward                 Cameron MacDonald             15 Forward                 Matthew Osadick                  17 Forward                 Ridly Greig                           15 Forward                 Drayson Collyer                    16 Forward                 Mitchell Joss                         16 In Sunday’s annual Intrasquad game, veterans Tanner Kaspick, Baron Thompson and Stelio Mattheos scored two goals each as Team Black built up a 6-0 second period lead and coasted to a 9-2 victory over Team White. Sam Anderson, Linden McCorrister and Kolton Shindle rounded out the scoring for Team Black, who outshot the Whites 51-32. Veteran netminder Logan Thompson turned aside all eighteen shots that he faced. Gunnar Wegleitner and Lynden McCallum scored in a losing cause for Team White. As a result of Sunday’s moves, the Wheat Kings have trimmed their pre-season roster to thirty-three players – four goalkeepers, eleven defencmen and 18 forwards. Of those, three of them – James Shearer, Caiden Daley and Daniel Bukac – are currently on the sidelines nursing injuries. A native of the Czech Republic, Bukac is one of seven Wheat Kings scheduled to attend National Hockey League training camps this month (Bukac – Boston Bruins, Nolan Patrick – Philadelphia,Tanner Kaspick – St. Louis, Ty Lewis – Colorado, Stelio Mattheos – Carolina, Kale Clague – Los Angeles Kings and Logan Thompson – Vegas Golden Knights). Following is the list of 33 players on the Wheat Kings’ pre-season roster: Goal:  (4) Logan Thompson, Hunter Arps, Ethan Kruger and Zach Bennett Defence:  (11) Kale Clague, Daniel Bukac, Garrett Sambrook, Neithan Salame, Kade Jensen, Braden Schneider, Aiden Mucenski, Schael Higson, Zach Wytinck, Ty Ettinger and James Shearer Forwards:  (18) Tanner Kaspick, Nolan Patrick, Caiden Daley, Jonny Hooker, Marcus Sekundiak, Stelio Mattheos, Sam Anderson, Cole Reinhardt, Connor Gutenberg, Linden McCorrister, Baron Thompson, Kyle Bettens, Ben McCartney, Lynden McCallum, Ty Lewis, Rylan Bettens, Gunnar Wegleitner and Zach Russell The Wheat Kings will kick off their 4-game pre-season schedule this Friday night at Westman Place against the visiting Regina Pats. Tickets to both of Brandon’s exhibition games as well as TheBrandon Sun Home Opener, scheduled for September 22nd, will go on sale Tuesday, September 5th  at the Keystone Centre box office. Fans can also order by phone at (204) 726-3555 or online at keystonecentre.com Meanwhile Season Ticket holders are reminded that this Friday, September 8th from 11am to 7pm is “Ticket Pick-up Day”. Fans are encouraged to come out to pick up their tickets at the tent located in the Keystone Centre’s south parking lot. For those that have yet to purchase 2017-18 Season Tickets, be sure to visit the Wheat Kings office or call (204) 726-3535. The earlier you do the better chance you will have to win one of the many exciting prizes up for grabs in this year’s “20 Prizes in 20 Days Contest Giveaway”.